It Is Not Hateful To Call Immoral Actions Sinful…Rather It Is In An Act Of Love!

1. I wish to preface my reflections by saying that I am conducting this prayer service and am speaking to you now with great reluctance. I did not seek to enter any controversy and I don’t relish being part of one. But I have given this matter a great deal of thought and prayer, which has led me to the conviction that God is calling me to speak out and conduct these prayers.

2. Our prayers at this time are prompted by the fact that the Governor of Illinois today is signing into Illinois law the redefinition of civil marriage, introducing not only an unprecedented novelty into our state law, but also institutionalizing an objectively sinful reality.

3. It is not hateful to say that an immoral action is sinful. On the contrary, the most compassionate thing we can do is help people to turn away from sin. To ignore another person’s wrongful actions is a sign of apathy or indifference, while fraternal correction is motivated by love for that person’s well-being, as can be seen by the fact that our Lord Jesus himself urged such correction. Indeed, the call to repentance is at the heart of the Gospel, as Jesus proclaimed, “The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe the Good News” (Mark 1:15).

4. The Good News is that God’s mercy and forgiveness extend to those who repent. Mercy does not mean approving of something that is sinful, but does absolve the wrongdoer after a change of heart takes place in the sinner through the gift of God’s grace.

5. I do not stand here before you as a self-righteous saint who has achieved spiritual perfection, but as a sinner who has received Jesus into his heart as his Lord and Savior.

6. This is a key point which the secularists are missing: they think that stressing God’s mercy means that sins are no longer sins. On the contrary, God’s mercy is a great gift of grace precisely because sins are sins and they call for repentance and forgiveness.

7. The fact is that a “minor exorcism” takes place in every Baptism and Confirmation ceremony when we renounce Satan and all his works and empty promises. This prayer service will be along those lines. I’m not saying that anyone involved in the redefinition of marriage is possessed by the devil, which, if that were the case, would require the remedy of a “Major Exorcism,” but all of us are certainly subject to the devil’s evil influences and in need of protection and deliverance from evil.

8. Our prayer service today and my words are not meant to demonize anyone, but are intended to call attention to the diabolical influences of the devil that have penetrated our culture, both in the state and in the Church. These demonic influences are not readily apparent to the undiscerning eye, which is why they are so deceptive.

9. The deception of the Devil in same-sex marriage may be understood by recalling the words of Pope Francis when he faced a similar situation as Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 2010. Regarding the proposed redefinition of civil marriage in Argentina, then-Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio wrote on June 22, 2010, “The Argentine people must face, in the next few weeks, a situation whose result may gravely harm the family. It is the bill on matrimony of persons of the same sex. The identity of the family, and its survival, are in jeopardy here: father, mother, and children. The life of so many children who will be discriminated beforehand due to the lack of human maturity that God willed them to have with a father and a mother is in jeopardy. A clear rejection of the law of God, engraved in our hearts, is in jeopardy. . . . Let us not be naive: it is not a simple political struggle; it is an intention [which is] destructive of the plan of God. It is not a mere legislative project (this is a mere instrument), but rather a ‘move’ of the father of lies who wishes to confuse and deceive the children of God.” The Pope’s reference to the “father of lies” comes from the Gospel of John (8:44), where Jesus refers to the devil as “a liar and the father of lies.” So Pope Francis is saying that same-sex “marriage” comes from the devil and should be condemned as such.

10. The work of discouragement by the Devil in same-sex marriage is apparent in the message being conveyed to defenders of traditional marriage that the universal redefinition of marriage is unstoppable, so we might as well just stop trying. But the legalization of abortion on demand forty years ago did not silence those who believe that abortion is contrary to God’s law. On the contrary, Roe v. Wade only heightened the need for more concerted efforts to protect all human life from conception to natural death. So, too, the legal redefinition of civil marriage does not put an end to the need for discourse and action to defend natural marriage in accord with God’s plan, but only serves to heighten the need for greater efforts in this regard.

12. We must also affirm the teaching of the Catholic Church that homosexual persons “must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God’s will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord’s Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.” The Church loves homosexual persons and looks upon them with compassion, offering assistance through support groups such as the Courage Apostolate to live in accord with the virtue of chastity. Indeed, all people are called to chastity, which for a man and woman united in matrimony means for the husband and wife to be faithful to each other.

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Demonic influences can sometimes come wrapped in a false cloak of love. It is difficult to stand up to this when the most well meaning people adopt the cloak as their own. I love my child, they love each other, they will love their children. What about our love of God who calls us to live in the cloak of truth! So many people have come to love the lies rather than the truth because it is easier. It is easier to just go along than to stand up strong.

WOW!!! A Bishop who is a real shepherd and and has the fortitude to excoriate the political correctness and moral rot of our times. It is called duty and Leadership 101. That is namely speaking Truth to Power and Evil, acting unambiguously,succinctly, with charity, clarity, courage and humility. If we had 100 more Bishops just like him the Church would be transformed in the USA. Sounds like he read, understands, believes and ACTS on the advice of the great St Augustine

“THE TRUTH IS LIKE A LION. YOU DON’T HAVE TO DEFEND IT. LET IT LOOSE. IT WILL DEFEND ITSELF.”
(St Augustine)

Now if the USCCB could just bottle what he has, they could save a millions of dollars, countless vacuous words, hundreds of meaningless missives, and turn the Bishops loose to be real shepherds, teachers, and leaders of the One True Faith doing what they are called to do…SAVE SOULS in their dioceses.

May all his fellow Bishops, priest and clergy fearlessly follow and lead by his example. May all the laity in Springfield support, defend and love him. You don’t know how fortunate you are to have him as your shepherd.

Reference Max McDuff’s comments: You don’t seem to be educated in all aspects of his or other Catholic priests’ activities. People dying of hunger is obviously not a good thing but for a person to die possessed is far worse…again this is too misunderstood in today’s society and so is the shameful act of lashing out with comments such as shameful without being fully informed. If you’re a Catholic you best examine your conscience on this and get help in confession…there’s my charity to my neighbor today. Rest assured the one true church is more than active in addressing many issues throughout the world. It’s shameful that many of its battles are not widely known because with more understanding comes a better world.